“And the things that you have heard from me
among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to
teach others also” (2
Timothy 2:2, NKJV).

Key
Thought:

The dissemination of the truth of God is
not confined to ministers. The truth is to be scattered by all who
claim to be disciples of Christ.

As we
have seen, it is important that
all believers recognize their God-given potential. Scripture gives many
examples where believers used their gifts while working with appointed
leaders
in an evangelistic team ministry.

In Acts
13:13, Luke’s reference to “Paul and his party” suggests
that the apostle Paul was the recognized leader of a missionary group
that
included Barnabas (vs.
1). Luke tells us that sometimes the
missionary work of Paul
and Barnabas showed that they worked together (Acts
13:50, 14:1).

Sometimes it is difficult for someone to become involved in
local church
witnessing and evangelism because leaders are not constantly looking
for gifted
people to incorporate into that work.

Last week we looked at the contributions of individual members
in relation
to the church’s witnessing and evangelism. This week we will look at
some
aspects of the church’s corporate strategies and how individuals can
become involved.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May
19.

SUNDAY

May
13

Letting
the Left and Right Hand
Know

Most people in the church are busy; others, for various
reasons, do
comparatively little. Either way, people are often not aware of what
their
church as a whole is planning or working toward; consequently, they
don’t
see how that in which they may be involved is contributing to the
church’s overall goals.

Read
Ecclesiastes
4:9–12. What do Solomon’s words tell us about working
together?
How might these words be helpful to you in other
settings?

These verses describe the benefits of mutual help, support,
and care,
whatever the situation. What is true for two or three people is also
true for
the local church. For the blessings described in Ecclesiastes
4:9–12 to be realized, each person must be aware of the
activities of
the others. If one person is not aware of what the others are doing or
planning, how can they know what support is needed, and when? If we
consider
these points with our local church’s witnessing and evangelism in mind,
we see again that if most members are unaware of what their church is
involved
in, they are not able to give support and assistance when needed.
Sadly,
because of a lack of support, those who are on the frontline of
witnessing and
evangelism sometimes feel that no one cares about this vital ministry
when it
is simply the case that others just don’t know what is going on.

The
following verses record people
performing special support
tasks. Write down how you think these activities contributed to the
overall
mission of spreading the gospel.Acts
16:14-15, 33-34.

What may at first seem to have nothing to do with the church’s
witnessing and evangelism strategies will, upon further consideration,
be
revealed as vital to the whole process. Those who provide food and
lodging for
the visiting evangelist play as vital a part as those who welcome the
public to
the program. Many church members will volunteer to support when they
are aware
of the program and what is needed and when they are assured that their
contribution is an integral part of the whole church program. In this
context,
it is important to let the right hand know what the left hand is doing.

Take a few moments to reflect upon your
church’s evangelism and witnessing activities. Are you aware of the
corporate church goals and strategies? Do you know what stage the
church is in this year’s program? How could you become more involved in
your church’s attempts to fulfill the gospel
commission?

MONDAY

May
14

Planning
Together

Often, when it comes to the planning of witnessing and
evangelism goals and
strategies, only a very few people are involved. Then when plans have
been
decided, those few people set about the task of trying to get others
involved
in the implementation stages. It is much better to get a larger group
involved
right from the start. This is why the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Manual
states that a chief concern of the church board is the work of planning
and
fostering evangelism in all of its phases.

What
do Paul’s words in 1
Corinthians
14:40 tell us about the need to plan? What does this verse
suggest may be
the results of a lack of, or inadequate, planning?

There are a number of mistakes that churches can make when
considering their
involvement in witnessing and evangelism. They can set goals but then
neglect
to introduce strategies necessary to reaching them; they can try to
work on
some strategies without setting any firm goals; or they can attempt
either of
the above without considering a process of evaluation. Goals and plans
go hand
in hand, but goals always come first so that plans that enable the
goals to be
reached can be laid. Furthermore, it is the process of evaluation that
helps
keep the church on track and measures progress toward its goals.

Every church should be aware of the concept of goal ownership.
Those who set
goals and are involved in strategic planning are typically the ones who
buy
into the whole direction and process. It is important, therefore, that
as many
people as possible have some input into all phases of the planning in
order
that they, too, have a sense of ownership. If this does not happen,
then, most
likely, the long-term plans will become the property of a select few
who will
struggle to fulfill those plans. In this case, success is unlikely.

Read
Psalm
37. What assurance can we gain from this text in
relation to the
success of our witnessing and evangelism activities (as well as a host
of other
things)? What principles and promises can we take from this
passage?

TUESDAY

May
15

Working
in Teams

It is logical to think that there were times when each of the
disciples
would have shared their faith on a one-to-one basis, but for the most
part we
see them in a shared ministry with fellow disciples and being supported
by
other believers. There is something special about working on an overall
plan
and receiving support and encouragement from others on the team.

The Bible provides us with a blueprint for effective
witnessing and
evangelism, and it should not surprise us that, even today, when God
raises up
someone for a significant responsibility, He inspires a team to gather
around
the leader.

Without question, the early believers worked together in
groups. It makes a
lot of sense. Besides each one having specific gifts and talents that
others
don’t, there’s also protection in numbers. There’s a sense of
accountability: others are watching you, others can help guide you,
others can
help protect you from wandering into directions that tragically might
lead you
astray. A solid team of faithful brothers and sisters, each one looking
out for
the other, yet all with the common goal of soul-winning, presents the
ideal way
of doing outreach.

Read
Philippians
1:5–18. What is there in Paul’s commendations to the
believers
at Philippi that indicates they were engaged in corporate witnessing
and
evangelism?

At the beginning of his letter to the Philippians, Paul speaks
of their
fellowship (partnership, NIV) in the gospel (vs. 5).
They had defended and
confirmed the gospel (vs. 7)
and had spoken the
word of God without fear (vs.
14). He also shares his joy because
Christ is continually
preached (vss.
15–18). Remember, Paul is writing to
the church, not to
individuals. Of course, it would have been individuals who preached
Christ, but
the fact that Paul commends the church reveals that this evangelistic
preaching
was a corporate strategy.

Eager to witness, have you ever found
yourself tempted in ways that being in a group could have protected you
from? Why is it important to cultivate an attitude of humility and
accountability if you are going to work with others in a
group?

WEDNESDAY

May
16

Every
Part Does Its Share

When a unified church is focused upon the evangelistic task at
hand, the
Lord will bless their combined efforts. A careful study of the Bible
will
reveal how much of the New Testament was written to show Christians how
to live
and work together in harmony. “One another” passages are scattered
thickly throughout its pages. We are commanded to love one another (John
15:12), forgive one another (Eph.
4:32), pray for one another (James
5:16), to mention just a few. Besides the “one
another”
passages, there are many scriptures that relate to the corporate
church, the
work that it does, and the corresponding growth.

Read
Ephesians
4:15-16. How does working together contribute to growth and
edification of
the church?

Paul tells us that it is God’s will that we grow into Jesus
Christ.
This shows that we are all on a spiritual journey, and, to a degree, it
is our
own spiritual journey. However, the text explains that each
individual’s
growth will affect the growth of the body both numerically and
spiritually.

As believers grow up into Christ, something happens that is
wonderful, even
supernatural. They are “joined and knit together” through their
personal contributions to the church as a whole. Optimum effectiveness
of any
church is achieved when every part does its share. According to Acts
1:12–14, what did the early believers do while they waited in
Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit? The answer should tell us a lot
about
what corporate worship meant. Indeed, it wasn’t until the Holy Spirit
had
come upon the early believers that they were ready for the task of
fulfilling
the gospel commission. This group, numbering about a hundred and
twenty, were
united in prayer and continued in prayer. No doubt it was Jesus’
promise
of the Holy Spirit that united them and constantly brought them
together for
prayer as they waited for the power that would enable them to do the
Lord’s bidding. We, as a church, should be doing the same.

As you think about your local
church, ask yourself this question: How much time and effort does your
church, as a corporate whole, spend in outreaching, witnessing, and
evangelism in contrast to how much time it spends over internal issues,
everything from liturgy, worship format, music, etc? Discuss the answer
on Sabbath.

THURSDAY

May 17

The
Need for Corporate
Unity

It has been well said that a Christianity that does not begin
with the
individual does not begin, but a Christianity that ends with the
individual
ends. This statement underscores the importance of every new believer
being
incorporated into the body of believers. As with witnessing and
evangelism, it
is also true that incorporation cannot be left to certain individuals
in the
fellowship. Incorporation is the responsibility of the entire church.

The Christian’s maturity, growing into the fullness of Christ (Eph.
3:19), is the proper goal of the local
congregation. Working for the
maturity of new converts is just as important as working to get them to
accept
Christ and to join His church. In fact, the church’s work of
incorporation will help ensure that their evangelistic efforts will not
become
a waste of time. Usually, before any witnessing and evangelism project
gets
under way, there is a time of preparing the church. This is a time when
we
focus on transportation, child care, greeters, prayer teams, and
visitation
teams. The apostle Paul would have us focus on incorporation as another
important part of church preparation. Consider the following question:

Which
is more important to ask, and why: How can
new believers get
involved in church life and its programs? How can the church enter the
lives of
new believers and help them mature? Are both these concepts related
and, if so,
how so?

Often we see the work of follow-up and incorporation as the
work of the one
who has led the person to Jesus Christ. We only have to realize how
impossible
it would have been for the apostle Paul to nurture all who believed
through his
ministry in order to see that this is not the biblical way. Follow-up
is not
just the work of one or two designated leaders, it is the work of the
whole
church.

Too often we lament the fact that new people come in the front
door and
leave by the back door soon after. This is a tragedy of eternal
consequence.

Think about new members in your
local church. How can you—not the pastor, the elder, but you—get
involved in helping them become solidly grounded in the church
community and its teachings?

FRIDAY

May 18

Further
Study:

Setting Realistic Evangelism Goals

Both as a church and as a smaller ministry team, we must
make sure that any witnessing and evangelistic goals are realistic. The
following are some key areas to consider.

Affordable. Finances play a
big part in many church strategies today. Consider the costs of
advertising, transportation, resources, postage, venue hire,
refreshments, to mention just a few expenses incurred in evangelistic
activities.

Achievable. Are the set
goals realistically achievable? Do we really have the money, time,
support, facilities, and personnel to achieve the planned outcomes? It
is better to start small and build into a larger project as others join
the team and key support is given in other important areas.

Sustainable. If a
witnessing and evangelism ministry is successful, it is surely worth
repeating. It may also be that your ministry is part of an ongoing
strategy, in which case you will need to keep looking ahead in order to
organize what is needed to sustain the ministry.

Able to be evaluated. Be
sure that you evaluate all aspects of the ministry, personnel,
finances, training, results, to name just a few. For ongoing
ministries, definite and regular evaluation times must be set and
adhered to. Also be sure to examine how this venture contributed toward
the church’s overall strategic plans for evangelism.

Discussion
Questions:

Go over your answer
to Wednesday’s question as a class. Why is it that churches that are so
busy fighting among themselves rarely do outreach? In contrast, how
could outreach unify a church that’s otherwise preoccupied with
internal strife? How can you help your church move away from
preoccupation with itself and get busy with the work of outreach? Why
is that so important?

As
you consider the following quotation, think about your local church. To
what extent are the members involved in witnessing and evangelism
teams? What part can you play in organizing team-training events? What
is your personal attitude toward working in teams? “In laboring where
there are already some in the faith, the minister should at first seek
not so much to convert unbelievers, as to train the church members for
acceptable co-operation.”—Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers,
p. 196. How many members of your church have even the slightest idea of
how to work for the conversion of souls? If not many, how can that
situation be changed?

I N S I D E Story

God’s
Patient Pursuit, Part 1

I grew up in a non-Christian family in India. I attended
a Christian boarding school and lived a highly regimented life. So I
wasn’t ready for the freedom I found when I moved to Australia at age
16 to study.

Many of the young people at school smoked and drank. I
wasn’t interested in these things and avoided the young people who were
involved in these activities. I attended church for my first year in
Australia, but then I quit. I told God that I wanted a break from Him,
to see what life was like without Him. That was the most miserable year
in my life.

I finished high school and started my university
studies. One day while studying, I felt a sudden pain in my chest. I
thought I was having a heart attack. Then I realized that it wasn’t
physical pain, but an ache for something. Could this be God? I
wondered. I hadn’t prayed in a year, but that day I prayed. “God, if
this is You, please take away this unbearable pain!” The pain went
away, and I forgot about it. But when the pain returned, I knew it was
God speaking to me. I found a church and attended a few times. But my
job in a bar required me to work Friday, Saturday, and Sunday so I quit
attending church.

One evening on the train home from work I met a young
man, Daniel, and his friend, Keith. Daniel struck up a conversation
with me. I asked him why he had chosen to speak to me, and he said God
had prompted him. We continued talking, and he invited me to his home
for dinner. I gave him my phone number. I got to know Keith, and I
sensed that he knew God. The peace I saw in him made me wish for a
relationship with Christ. I accepted his invitation to worship with him
on Saturday, but the idea of worshipping on Saturday instead of Sunday
seemed strange.

I graduated and began searching for a
job. I couldn’t find one, and I felt frustrated and out of control. I
remembered Keith and the peace he exuded. I visited him, and he invited
me to a small group meeting.

I went. The group was indeed small, but the members were
so genuine, friendly, and loving that I enjoyed attending. As I studied
the Bible I realized that it was the Holy Spirit who had been speaking
to me all these years, urging me to let God back into my life. I had
come to God broken and hurting, but God put me back together.

I learned that the small group meeting was actually a
Global Mission church plant designed to attract young people just like
me.

(continued
next week)

Vikram
Panchal shares his faith with young people in Melbourne, Australia.

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